Boy jailed for life for hammer attack on sleeping pupils and teacher at Blundell's School

• ITV News' Bob Cruwys reports on the sentencing of hammer attack teen

A public schoolboy who attacked two sleeping students and a teacher with hammers at a boarding school has been jailed for life.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been a pupil at Blundell's School, in Tiverton, Devon, when he assaulted his dorm-mates and housemaster in the early hours of 9 June last year.

He denied three counts of attempted murder - claiming he had been sleepwalking - but was found guilty by a jury on all three counts following a 10-week trial.

During a sentencing hearing at Exeter Crown Court on 18 October, the 17-year-old was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 12 years.

The judge, Mrs Justice Cutts, told the boy: "You knew the difference between right and wrong and you intended to kill those boys.

"They were extremely vulnerable, asleep in their beds at school. They couldn't defend themselves in any way."

The judge said the teenager kept the hammers in what he called his "weapons drawer", adding: "I am sure you intended to use them as weapons against one or more boys at school."

Mrs Justice Cutts described the boy as posing a "high level" of danger to the public, saying there is a "significant" risk he could behave in the same way again.

"It is impossible to say when you will cease to be dangerous."

Speaking after the court hearing, senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent James Dowler, said: "This incident had a lasting effect not only on the victims and their families but on the whole school community and those who were present that night."

The court heard the teenager, who was 16 at the time, armed himself with three claw hammers and waited for his dorm-mates to be asleep before launching his attack.

The two pupils were asleep in cabin-style beds in one of the co-educational school’s boarding houses when the offender climbed up and attacked them shortly before 1am.

Their housemaster, Henry Roffe-Silvester, who was asleep in his room, was awoken by noises coming from the boarding house and went to investigate.

When he entered the bedroom, he saw a silhouetted figure standing in the room who turned towards him and struck him over the head with a hammer six times.

The court heard both boys suffered skull fractures, as well as injuries to their ribs, spleen, a punctured lung and internal bleeding.

The two boys were rushed to hospital, and the court heard they only survived due to the prompt arrival of paramedics and the skilful work of the doctors and surgeons.

James Dawes KC, prosecuting, previously told the jury both boys are living with the “long-term consequences” of the attack but have no memory of the incident.

The offender told police under interview that he accepted carrying out the attacks - but denied attempted murder, claiming that he had been sleepwalking after watching horror films.

During the two-month trial, the court heard the boy was wearing just his boxer shorts and was “on a mission” to protect himself from a zombie apocalypse when he carried out the attack.

Jurors heard from several sleep experts who offered clinical advice on the likelihood of the offender being able to carry out such an attack while being in a state of sleep.

The court heard how in the months before the attack, the offender researched serial killers and asked questions such as, "what happens if you hit someone on the head with a hammer?" and whether young people went to prison.

Mr Dawes told the jury that an examination of the offender’s iPad revealed he had been listening to music moments before launching the assaults, which proved that he had not fallen asleep but had instead been fully conscious.

“These are deliberate actions and he rained blows down on their unprotected sleeping heads with heavy hammers,” said Mr Dawes.

In a victim personal impact statement, one of the 16-year-old victim's family thanked everyone who assisted in their son's recovery.

"The police and the prosecution team have helped us navigate this horrific case with the utmost professionalism and compassion. Their thoroughness and attention to detail in the investigation has been truly impressive," they said.

The 17-year-old victim's family added: “I am looking forward to my family moving on now that the trial is over, and I hope my son will continue his recovery and have a good future ahead.”

Senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent James Dowler, said: “This was an unprovoked attack on two schoolboys as they slept in their beds. The assaults were both brutal and savage and I have no doubt that his intent was to kill.

“Our detectives worked tirelessly to prove that the offender had indeed been fully conscious when committing this horrendous attack - which had been months in the planning.

He added: “I want to thank the victims and their families for their continuous support throughout this trial and to the fellow pupils and paramedics who were present on the night of the attack and offered life-saving assistance to the casualties.

“I hope that the conclusion of the case allows the victims and their families space to move on in their young lives as they work to put these horrific events behind them."

In a statement issued following the hearing the school’s head teacher Bart Wielenga said he is “tremendously proud” of how the school’s community responded to the attacks.

He added: “I have been very clear with the pupils that this is not an incident we whisper about or have to be ashamed of. It is part of our narrative, our shared story. We are allowed to talk about it openly and we can express our emotions safely.

“I would like to record my thanks too to the emergency services who arrived on the scene so quickly and who handled a difficult situation with such compassion and expertise. The surgeons who treated the boys in the immediate aftermath were heroic and the care the boys received has been excellent.

“Before and during the trial we have continued to work closely with the police, and I am grateful for the open and supportive relationship that has been formed between them and the Blundell’s team.”

He also said counselling will continue to be made available to staff and students who need it.

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